IV 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 880 

Expressing support for a uniform adoption process of children from foster 

care and promoting the enactment by all States of the Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children to ensure more children in the 

United States are placed in safe, loving, and permanent homes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 21, 2016 

Mrs. LAWRENCE submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by 

the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for a uniform adoption process of children from foster care and promoting the enactment by 

all States of the Interstate Compact for the Placement 

of Children to ensure more children in the United States 

are placed in safe, loving, and permanent homes. 

Whereas there are over 400,000 children in foster care in the 

United States and 107,000 children waiting to be adopted; 

Whereas the median age for foster children waiting to be 

adopted is 7 years old; 


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•HRES 880 IH 

Whereas the average length of time a child spends in foster 

care is approximately 2 years; 

Whereas domestic adoptions with public child welfare agency 

involvement represent approximately 40 percent of all 

adoptions; 

Whereas families seeking to adopt are expected to undergo a 

home study, which serves to ensure their suitability; 

Whereas the adoption application and content of a home 

study varies from State-to-State, it always involves personal interviews by an adoption case worker, an examination of their home, training related to adoption, and information on their health history and family income; 

Whereas while 4 in 10 people in the United States have considered adoption, but are concerned about the complexity 

and length of time adopting children from foster care; 

Whereas the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization 

of more than 300 lawyers, legislators, judges, and academics who propose legislation to the States in areas subject to State authority, including all aspects of family 

law; 

Whereas after nearly 5 years of drafting, debate, and discussions with adoption and child welfare experts, in August 

1994 the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws approved a proposed Uniform Adoption 

Act for submission to State legislatures; 

Whereas in 2005, the Uniform Laws Commission designated 

the Adoption Act from 1994 as a ‘‘model’’ rather than 

a uniform law keeping State adoption policies varied and 

incongruent; 


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•HRES 880 IH 

Whereas the Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children has only been enacted by 9 States and cannot be 

considered nationally in effect until passed by 35 States; 

Whereas there is a need for coordination between the Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children, the Interstate Compact for Juveniles, the Interstate Compact on 

Adoption and Medical Assistance and other compacts affecting the placement of and which provide services to 

children; 

Whereas the Federal Government should provide for a State’s 

continuing legal jurisdiction and responsibility for placement and care of a child that it would have had if the 

placement were intrastate; and 

Whereas Members of the Senate and the House of Representatives have sought to remove barriers to intrastate and 

interstate adoptions and encourage a national standard 

for the adoption process and it has not been acted on legislatively: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports a uniform adoption process of chil3 dren from foster care; and 

4 (2) promotes the enactment by all States of the 

5 Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children to 

6 ensure more children in the United States are placed 

7 in safe, loving, and permanent homes. 

Æ 


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